The Other Side
by rumpybumpy14
Summary: A look at Martin and Louisa's relationship from Dr. Timoney's perspective.
1. Chapter 1

The Other Side - Chapter 1

I had to get away from Tony. We had been together for two years when I found out he had cheated, taking up with an undergraduate student in the philosophy department. It had been a short affair...maybe three encounters and he was appropriately contrite, but it cut me to the core and destroyed me. I just had a study published and had an idea for a book, but I couldn't be in London anymore. I had to get out of there to sort my thoughts about how I felt and of how Tony and I would proceed...if at all.

The cottage I rented in Bodmin was more lovely than I expected. It had been a chapel adjacent to a larger church, and as such, was light and airy, with fabulous windows and light and a spectacular garden, kept up by the caretakers. It was the perfect place to clear my head and get a start on my new book…"The Hidden Relationship - Diagnosis and Study". I had a few patients in the Cornwall area and seeing them on their home turf was a bit of a bonus for them, as well as a help with my rental payments. When at home, these patients were able to bring their spouses and families to counseling sessions which helped the therapeutic process move on much faster. Any time I could facilitate these families' progress to a more comfortable existence, I felt a sense of satisfaction in my purpose and vocation.

Oddly enough, I had received a message from Doctor Ruth Ellingham during this time. She somehow had caught wind of my temporary residence in Cornwall and wanted to refer her nephew, a former surgeon, and now general practitioner in Portwenn, to me for evaluation and possible therapy, and perhaps couples counseling. Dr. Ellingham had been my consultant during my rotation at Broadmoor prison, which had been a total enlightening experience. She had, in her wise and self deprecating way, been a boon to all the prisoners incarcerated there. Of course, there were cases of chronic schizophrenia and antisocial behavior disorder there, but she was also able to weed out cases who had simple depression or bipolar disorder. There was hope for these inmates and she poured her heart and soul into helping them. They, of course, were faced with the burden of having committed a crime and of being incarcerated, but Ruth did everything in her power to ease themselves back into a functional position in society. I admired how she labored in sponsorship for these men.

Ruth had said that her nephew, Dr. Martin Ellingham, was having marital problems, but also had psychological issues due to a questionable upbringing. She stopped there saying she would leave it up to me to make my own diagnosis. As I had learned so much from Ruth, I accepted the referral and sent her my regards. And Tony kept on calling.


	2. Chapter 2

The Other Side - Chapter 2

"Rachel, luv, it's Tony. Will you please call me back. I'm miserable without you. I can hardly work. Please call." He was calling again, but truly, in my heart, I wasn't sure I wanted to talk to him at all. He broke my passion and I wasn't sure that I could ever get it back. Tony was a fascinating man, attractive in an ordinary way but with a brain and personality that was absolutely over the top. He was a physicist and professor at King's College in London, but he wasn't strictly a scientist. Part of his interest pertained to the discovery of the vastness of the universe and how laws of matter and energy impacted the perceptions of society as a whole. It was pretty esoteric material. In his spare time he loved Star Trek and had a few video games that he enjoyed. This did not detract from the fact that he had an hysterically dry wit, which we both enjoyed, and an incomparable chemistry in bed. I loved him...at least until this incident. I wasn't sure...we weren't married yet, so it wasn't exactly verboten. It just had damaged my trust in him...maybe forever.

While checking my email another call came in. It was from a woman from Dr. Ellingham's office informing me that he would not be able to make our 11 o'clock appointment due to an emergency. It was not an illustrious beginning and in my state of mind I wasn't about to be manipulated. "Tell the doctor I will see him at half 5 and if he can't make it then not to bother to call again." I figured that would get the message across. I didn't suffer fools lightly. I decided to delve into more research for my book. That kept me more than busy.

The afternoon passed quickly. I had a 3:30 appointment with a patient recovering from depression and addiction. He was adamant that Cornwall was a better place for him than London had been.

At half 5 I was waiting for the "eminent" Dr. Ellingham. As 6 pm approached I picked up my bag and headed out to get something to eat. In my drive was a tall, fair man. He was dressed impeccably in a dark suit, but the suit was dusty and dirty as if he'd been hiking over the Moor. He had short white hair and a fascinating face. I'd have to think about that face for a while before forming an opinion. He also had a bruised head and cut close to his eye. "Have you been fighting?" I asked. His answer was no and as usual, he was surprised that I was Dr. Timoney. Such was the frustration of being young with a youthful appearance. Somehow it seemed to follow that you wouldn't be competent. I almost longed for the time when my appearance wouldn't be a factor but had decided that I just had to grin and bear it...and enjoy being young while it lasted.

He was a tall man, attractively slender, but certainly not used to being told what to do. I observed and decided what tone needed to be used in our communication. I realized I would have to be firm, but not authoritarian. Too strong an approach would certainly alienate him, but nothing less than a firm approach would give him doubt as to whether I could effectively advise and help him. I would have to be pithy and direct. Nothing else would gain his respect. I informed him that because of his tardiness, no matter what the cause, we would just be setting down ground rules for future sessions. Interestingly, when he sat down on the bench he assumed the posture of a meek schoolboy who had done something naughty. I got the feeling that he wasn't unfamiliar with sitting like this...legs close and tucked together...arms close to the body...hands tucked between his legs. He seemed to just fold himself in and make himself smaller than he actually was. He appeared meek, nervous and vulnerable.

He was distressed when I asked for his phone, but he acquiesced. He obviously wanted help in any way I could give it. He was out of his comfort zone, which made me hopeful.


	3. Chapter 3

The Other Side - Chapter 3

My next encounter with Dr. Ellingham came at the specified time and promptly. He wasn't going to be an unreliable patient, despite what his first impression had dictated. When I thought about it more, I realized that he was responsible for health care in Portwenn, and subject to emergencies. I wouldn't be as harsh and judgmental in the future. Martin entered my sitting room promptly, on time and settled into his humble, scared schoolboy posture...knees together, arms tucked at his side..hands planted firmly between his legs. He looked like he was expecting a caning or something worse. He elicited feelings of empathy from me..not pity...but just feelings of wanting to help this poor little man/boy.

And this time I had an opportunity to really study his face. It was an atypical face, set very low in a larger than normal, but perfect head. His head, in itself, was a thing of beauty...perfectly symmetrical with a shock of short hair. His hair was white though I felt he must have been one of those blondish men whose hair is white by the time they're 40. He had prominent ears and fuller than normal lips. These, with his nose were asymmetrical but the features coalesced into a lovely appearance. Typical people may not have found him attractive, but those that perceived it could find him devastating. It was an enigmatic presentation, of which he he had not an inkling.

As with most professionals, he spend our first few minutes reviewing my credentials...yes, I wrote this...yes I did that. I was familiar with this approach and found that it was usually a delay tactic, used to avoid getting down to the meat of the problem at hand. And, as a physician who had access and understanding of the DSM-5, he had reviewed his own symptoms and diagnosed himself with "attachment disorder" which, no doubt, was the case. That would save a lot of time in pursuing the solutions to his difficulties as the background was laid out concisely. Now, where we were going from there was the real issue.

He was incredibly humble in this setting, citing his love for his wife, Louisa, and totally taking blame for all their difficulties. He wanted Louisa to be happy with no thoughts of being happy himself. He blamed himself for every problem that they had. He had no self esteem, certainly a trait acquired being an unwanted child and was terrifically afraid of losing the one that he loved. I was afraid for him myself, wondering what the consequences would be if Louisa left him. He was quite fragile, though he would never admit it.

I was very curious about this "Louisa". She must be an interesting woman to have fallen in love with this odd man. She must have been empathetic and perceptive to realize his value beneath his gruff exterior. I had also heard that he was rude and dismissive, though I never saw a bit of that in any of our encounters so far. When I suggested that I wanted to meet his wife Martin showed signs of agitation. He had obviously put Louisa on a pedestal and believed if I could fix him then everything else would fall into place. This made me more determined to meet her. I had a feeling that there was much more to this situation than meets the eye.

Session over, I sat down and reviewed my notes. Sometimes there was nothing better than trying to help in such a challenging situation. I picked up my cell phone. Tony had called again. "Rachel, I love you baby, I need you. If you don't call me back, I'll have no choice but to come to Bodmin and find you. I am so sorry about what happened and promise I'll love you for the rest of our lives. Call me...please."

I suppose it was time to call. God knows I didn't want him down here showing my picture in the grocery store, asking if anybody has seen me. First I'd have a cup of tea.


	4. Chapter 4

The Other Side - Chapter 4

I dialed Tony's number and reached his voicemail right on the spot. That was it...I wasn't meant to talk to him, but I got over my petulance and decided to leave a message. "Tony, it's me answering your calls. I'm sorry we haven't been able to talk in person but perhaps tomorrow morning would be a good time. I don't have any appointments until the afternoon. Best regards. It's me, Rachel".

I knew that Tony had to teach basic physics at the night school liaison. As faculty members, we had to do whatever the college said. Tony had said he actually liked teaching basic physics. He loved seeing when some student would see above the basic equations and realized how the principles affected real life. It was a bit of a rush.

I spent the evening messaging friends and catching up with gossip and family matters. I went to sleep thinking about Tony calling tomorrow. I would not defer his call. We needed to talk, one way or another.

I rose early the next morning, dictated by the upset that had happened in my life. My cell phone rang after my first cup of tea and as expected, it was Tony. Hello was the first thing I said. "Rachel, it's so good to hear your voice. How are things in Cornwall?" He obviously wanted to make small talk, which I did, telling him about the cottage and about the writing and research I was doing. There was a lull in the conversation from there. Tony took it upon himself to fill it in. "Rachel, I am so sorry for what happened. That girl threw herself at me. We had a row and I was totally vulnerable. I own up for the whole experience but it meant absolutely nothing. I love you and want to be with you the rest of my life. Please forgive me and let me back in."

I really wanted to forgive him, but that type of behavior only signified more of that behavior in the future. As a therapist, it was sad to say, but I had little or no faith in the determination of the human spirit. It would take a lot to trust again. I wanted to forgive. "Tony, I love you too, but you have betrayed my trust. Right now, I'm in the process of figuring out if that betrayal can have a place in our relationship...water under the bridge as such. We are both adults, with relationships that we've left behind. It's not as if this girl was your first date, but you betrayed the trust I had that you would be faithful to me."

"Well, let's see what you figure out. I love you more than the sun, the stars and the earth. I made a huge mistake, but I want to make it up to you and show you just how I feel. Forgive me Rachel. I love you." "We'll see Tony...I have my first appointment soon. Good bye."

Well, that had been an experience. I was drained. I truly wondered if I could think my way out of this quagmire...I wasn't sure that feeling my way was the best.

Louisa Ellingham was due in the early afternoon and I was ready when the taxi dropped her off. My first impression was a rather prim and proper thirtysome woman. I could feel her distrust of me a million miles away. She was seeing me out of obligation to Doctor Ellingham and had no idea that I could help, therapeutically, with their relationship. She was very nervous and put up a dramatic overlay that she could hide behind if things became personal. She was fairly certain of Martin's love. She was firm in her belief that Martin's parents had caused the disruption in his personality. However, when I inquired about her childhood she minimized the fact that her mother left when she was twelve and her father had been in and out of prison. She totally disregarded these factors and tried to make her childhood seem normal. I would almost say she was delusional, but that was too powerful a term. She really had no handle on how the events of her childhood had affected her life.

When I suggested that we meet again with both her and Martin in attendance she showed signs of true agitation. She questioned if it wasn't better to address Martin's issue with blood, or the fact that he was unable to interact with people without being rude. She totally rejected the idea that many of these symptoms were entwined with other issues in their relationship. She was sure that Martin's shortcomings were totally compartmentalized from existence in general. I was fascinated and wanted to pursue these behaviors in greater depth. I was convinced that there were two sides to the story.


	5. Chapter 5

The Other Side - Chapter 5

A number of days passed until I was to see the Ellinghams again. I continued to work on my book. The bottom line of my thesis was that things were never precisely what they presented them to be. If there was an unfaithful husband there was usually a reason that might lie with his wife. For every action there was always an equal, and undeniable reaction. In the book I was trying to alert any upcoming therapists to realize these things. Nothing was almost never as it might appear.

Tony and I were in contact, talking twice a day. We had a hilarious conversation this morning when he had shared with me a story about his undergrad experience. He had a professor of Moral Philosophy who had taught an entire class with toilet paper stuck in the belt of her skirt. I was feeling guilty having a laugh over this woman's embarrassment, but Tony told the story with such aplomb that I couldn't help laughing. Lesson learned: always check your clothing before teaching a class. Check your teeth too. It was fun listening to Tony talk. He was a master storyteller.

It was close to midday and my appointment with the Ellinghams. I had another appointment later with a gentleman emerging from major depression. His wife and kids were attending too. It would be a full afternoon.

Martin and Louisa Ellingham took their seats on my "therapy bench". I actually liked that I had this bench because seeing patients sitting beside each other spoke volumes about the state of their relationship. Martin, of course, sat in his folded up schoolboy awaiting discipline mode. Louisa, on the other hand, was on the edge of her seat, guarded and aggressive, prepared for anything that would undermine her position. I am not a person cowed by aggression...if I was, she would have done so. I think that was a trait that I shared with Ruth Ellingham which I loved. We could look aggression in the eye without allowing it to translate into our demeanor. Some would translate that as being cold. I chose to think of it as being brave.

I mentioned to them that despite sitting next to each other that they actually seemed very detached...they seemed to be two separate units, not a couple as such. It was a glaring certainty. Louisa squirmed and said something about being "cramped". She awkwardly put her hand on Martin's to minimize this appearance, which did nothing but reinforce their alienation. When asked to say a few positive things about Martin all she could come up with was that he was a very good doctor, always looked very smart and he kept the house very tidy. Hardly the stuff of which wild love affairs are made. He, on the other hand, admitted that she was a good and caring mother, was "physically active", and was very beautiful. There was an enormous imbalance here.

"Physically active". I truly had to supress a laugh here. I'd never heard such a hilarious euphemism for sex in my professional life. He loved making love to her, though she didn't say anything about that. Perhaps it was the basic difference between males and females, but, in her case, I felt it went deeper than that. She seemed to almost want to keep her distance from him. It was as if he had committed a mortal offense. It was how I was feeling about Tony right now. He was wonderful and so loving but he wounded me with his infidelity. For all intents and purposes anything good he ever did was moot.

But Martin Ellingham hadn't been unfaithful. He'd been an enormous screwup, causing Louisa to get hit by a car, but later performing surgery on her AVM. Somehow, during this time was a serious disconnect. I felt that it was time to awaken the physical attraction that these two once shared and used a long-standing "by the book" marriage counseling ploy. It was an assignment. The couple in question were to hug three times a day and give a positive affirmation. I really felt that these two had generated a physical gap between them. If we relaxed that wall, it might follow that we could probe further. They agreed, but not enthusiastically. We had a long way to go.


	6. Chapter 6

The Other Side - Chapter 6

The week progressed quickly. With seeing the Ellinghams my work on my book progressed quickly. They were the exact case study for my premise. Things weren't always as they presented themselves...the obviously flawed husband was not always the cause of relationship discord. Seeing Mrs. Ellingham in such a guarded, and obviously distressed state reinforced my hypothesis. There was much more to this relationship than met the eye.

Martin was almost eager to own up to his part of the of the relationship. He admitted he was rude, intolerant and lacked any social skills whatsoever. All these went along with the diagnosis of Attachment Disorder, the diagnosis that he had made himself and I totally agreed with. Louisa seemed to want to present herself as "normal" with no character flaws. I suspected that despite this image of "normality" that there was some type of manipulation going on. I had not a clue how she was doing it, but I felt that she, perhaps, was setting him up to fail. Then she could have an excuse to push him away or have him desert her, which was the pattern of her life. She had to learn how to embrace what she had, although I wasn't sure she could do it.

Before the Ellinghams I had a session with Danny Trevathen, a delightful young man who was struggling with depression. His psychiatrist had just adjusted his medications so he was in a bit of a flux, but I felt he was heading in the right direction. After he left, the Ellinghams came in. Martin seemed a bit different to me. He wasn't quite so self contained...his legs weren't glued together. When asked about their "hugging" exercise, Louisa stated that Martin had a bit of a problem with spontaneity...trying to say it didn't go well because of him. He, however, finally speaking up, stated she had a problem with spontaneity too. Well, if nothing else, the exercise had generated controversy, and this type of upset was exactly what they needed. I saw clearly that Martin wanted to be with Louisa, but I really wasn't sure she wanted to be with him. There may be no hope for this relationship.

Being the evil therapist that I am, I proposed a scenario that was totally going to fail and demonstrate to them both how they affected each other. I proposed Louisa be in charge of an activity. She was to be totally in charge. Martin absolutely could not fail because of any objections on his part. He was forbidden to protest. He was rendered totally subservient. I was really curious how Louisa would make him mess up up despite the restrictions that were in place. Much would be revealed.

Meanwhile, Tony and I continued to talk. I almost noticed a longing, á la Martin Ellingham in his voice. I found myself missing his voice and missing his body with its perfect hair. All this did was drive me to distraction and confuse me even more. He wanted to come to Cornwall but had obligations. I made it eminently clear that he should not come without my approval. Honestly, there was no way I wanted to see him without warning. The Ellinghams weren't the only ones that couldn't handle spontaneity. I was doing a pretty good job of doing it too.o


	7. Chapter 7

The Other Side - Chapter 7

The activity that Louisa had chosen was an evening picnic at the beach. She had shown up, in a dress and fancy shoes because she knew Martin was going to be wearing a suit..as usual. When I asked her about her choice of scotch eggs as a menu item she said simply, "It's picnic food." Martin ate impeccably healthy. Why she would choose to make him eat those just reinforced my hypothesis. She was setting him up to fail.

The picnic hadn't gone well and was ultimately interrupted by by a hallucinating veterinarian self medicating with animal antibiotics. Louisa had to admit that she was glad that Martin took charge of that situation. The woman could have been dangerous. Actually, I thought that Louisa enjoyed having Martin "take charge". She had fended for herself for so many years...going back to her childhood...that having someone protect her, as Martin did, was a whole new experience. Why she was pushing him away was the real question.

I felt that I was gaining trust where Martin was concerned. He didn't sit comfortably, but his tight, legs together, expecting caning posture was more relaxed. It was my impression that he may have achieved some realization in the past few weeks. I was beginning to lose hope for them, however. I wasn't feeling passion or dedication. I think Martin adored her, but he didn't know how to love her. I wasn't sure that anyone would know how to love her...she was a complex personality.

The only thing I could think to suggest is for them to go on a "date". Perhaps the could capture a bit of the attraction they shared in the beginning of their relationship. Dinner out, away from distractions, might be what they need. Then again, as much as I appreciated Martin's faith and commitment, I didn't think he would be a glittering dinner partner.

It was then that the most startling thing occurred. From the side of his seat Martin produced a copy of "The Lancet". He cited an article that I might be interested in...a liaison of general practitioners with psychotherapists. It was definitely pertinent to the work I was doing, but the gesture of thinking of me, and actually bringing the article with me in mind made me feel that he trusted me, to a certain extent. The man had few people in his life that he could really trust but I wasn't sure the journal sharing went over big with Louisa. Her body language was not too pleased.

As was typical with small towns, I also caught news that Danny Steele, Louisa's ex-boyfriend was back in Portwenn. I only had to go to the green grocer to get that information. Gossip spread like wildfire in these small towns. You couldn't break wind on one side of the village without the other side finding out. I wouldn't have difficulty monitoring the situation. All I had to do was go to the Coop.

Tony, on the other hand, continued to call. I found myself laughing with him, and, in the back of my mind, wanting to feel his arms around me. The sterile relationship of Martin and Louisa showed me how rich a friendship and love affair I had with him. He wanted to join me in Cornwall and this time I didn't say "no". I think I was ready for a reconciliation. He'd hurt my heart, but not really broken it. I thought we might be stronger after all this.


	8. Chapter 8

The Other Side - Chapter 8

As a family counselor it wasn't unusual to encounter circumstances where disassociating with the circumstance at hand was the best solution for both parties. Martin and Louisa's struggle to find common ground had been so fruitless and painful I was afraid that their association and marriage would do both of them more harm than good. They had a child together, which was more of an accident than anything else, but children could still thrive in face of divorce. Many times it toned down the discord in the family and allowed the child to experience some serenity and peace, rather than living on the battlefield every day. I told Martin and Louisa to compile a list of the advantages of being without each other. I knew that Martin would struggle to find reasons. He so adored her. Louisa, on the other hand, could probably come up with a list of annoyances that she would rather dispose of, if not just having to eat fish 6 times a week.

They were puzzled by the assignment. I truly thought they wanted to be together, but I didn't see much of a future for them. Let's see what they could come up with, writing these lists. Tony said he would be on his way to Cornwall any time. I really was looking forward to seeing him and feeling my arms around him. He soothed me and I felt together we were whole. I wished the memory of his unfaithfulness would just disappear, but it wasn't time yet. All I could say that the entire encounter seemed more like simple sex. I could tell that Tony had no feelings involved.

I had seduced an older instructor in my past. I wasn't proud of it, but he was so charismatic I couldn't do anything else. I should use my regret from that to balance what had happened with Tony and the undergrad. Dr. Wrigley taught biochemistry, one of the courses I really didn't want to study, but as an undergrad student at uni, it was one of the last "hard science" courses I had to take. From this point on I would be concentrating on subjects that would be more to my interest. David Wrigley was in his 30s and happily married to a woman who looked just like him. They were almost hilarious in their quick dry trousers and hiking boots. Dr. Wrigley was a delight to listen to. Biochemistry never seemed dry when he was lecturing. I was horrible as I saw him as a deer in the headlights. To this day, I think "Rachel, what were you doing?" You should have left the poor man alone, despite how much fun it was to seduce him. He really was a babe when it came to sex and I secondarily hoped I taught him something new. Ok...I was awful...this girl was awful with Tony. I just wanted my Tony back. He was going to be on his way tomorrow.

Things began to be really disjointed from this time on in Portwenn. I had driven to town in search of groceries when I ran my car into the side of the road. One of the elementary students was in the road and forced me into a streetside stand. I sustained a rather bad blow to the head into the steering wheel of my car. Louisa escorted me to Martin Ellingham's surgery where he checked me, despite all my protestation. As we had a therapeutic relationship, I felt his handling this incident was a bit inappropriate. He argued that, logically, someone needed to check me...and he was obviously there.

No papilledema, no disturbances in fields of view or ocular movements. It seemed that I had simple head trauma, and no concussion as I didn't become unconscious. The mechanic at the shop took me home and said the car would be ready tomorrow. I felt a bit dreamy and told Tony how much I wanted to see him. I really couldn't wait until he arrived.

The next day, I had a severe headache and went to the pharmacy for some paracetamol. The mechanic had dealt with my car and I had run into Louisa, telling her I had a brilliant plan for Martin and her. I really did have a great plan, but when they showed up that evening I was not really sure what it had been. I wasn't sure why they were there at all. It became clear that I was definitely impaired and went to the hospital for a CT scan and observation. The blow to my head had disrupted my frontal lobe and disturbed my mentation. Tony arrived at just the right time and made sure I was looked after and observed closely. He was so tender and caring. I knew things were not as they seemed initially, but his presence made my transition back so much less difficult. I really felt that I had been hallucinating and wanted to return to reality.


	9. Chapter 9

The Other Side - Chapter 9

I remembered I had been in an ambulance with the attendants, calm and reassuring. I came to realize that Tony was there, supporting me all the way. My initial CT scan showed a small brain contusion, in exactly the place that my head had impacted the steering wheel. In retrospect, had I lost consciousness or began vomiting the evening of the accident I would have bypassed the humiliation of my behavior in Portwenn that day. Now I recalled sharing medical confidences with Mrs. Tishell. Could I have possibly shared those issues with anyone else but her? No. As fate had it, she was absolutely insatiable in her quest for more information and I dismissed any inquiries as fast as they arrived. The ambulance attendant and later the consulting neurologist informed me that I had invited Martin and Louisa Ellingham for a therapy session in which my behavior was slipshod and casual, but I had some idea that marching in place would advance their progress as a couple.

Humiliating as that was, it was clear to Dr. Ellingham fairly early in the appointment realized that I was impaired, which lead to the ambulance and my hospitalization in the room where I was now. I was mortified by my behavior and cried as Tony embraced me in my room. "Oh god Tony," I cried. "I have worked so hard to build my practice, and to prove myself competent, against all odds. Now I've totally humiliated myself. No one will trust me again." He stopped and pulled back, looking me straight in the eye, "Rachel, look at me babe….no, don't look away. You have years of outcomes in your background. Because of what you do, the line between success and nonsuccess is blurry, but I think the outcomes have always been most efficacious to the people involved. That doesn't go away because you've had an accident. That should be the last of your worries. The primary thing in my mind would be apologizing to the Ellinghams for the confusion and disruption that you caused. It must have been upsetting after weeks of therapy to see you lose the plot. As soon as we get you out of here that's where we should go."

So, I spent the next two days in hospital, being awakened every 2 hours for neuro checks and having an MRI and a couple more CTs. It was taxing, but by the evening of the first day I was entirely lucid, stewing in my humiliation. The next day was spent getting an EEG and another CT scan. There were so many complications that could occur...seizure, further bleeding, brain swelling….but none of these happened to me. I was released on the morning of the third day.

Tony was there every step of the way as I checked out. There was to be stringent follow up with my internist back in London. There would be further imaging and testing down the line.

Tony was driving my car. Get in, luv, and let's hope we can catch Dr. Ellingham before he starts seeing patients. We arrived in Portwenn and Tony parked on the Platte. He turned to me, "Rachel, I will be with you always. I love you. Get this over with and we can go home."

With trepidation, I walked up that hill only to find Martin and Louisa in deep conversation. "Excuse me, sorry to interrupt," I said. " I want to apologize for what happened the other night. I hope my behavior wasn't too "out there"." Louisa looked and answered in a disingenuous, but socially acceptable, manner. "No, it was fine, considering your condition." Martin said nothing but his body language said, "This woman is Bodmin and I want no part of her." That really hurt, but I almost respected his opinion over all. They explained that they would not be seeking any therapy, but we're going to have a "make or break" conversation over dinner that evening.

"Good luck," I said. Louisa retorted that "luck" didn't have anything to do with it. I countered, saying, "I may think otherwise because you are undoubtedly one of the most difficult cases I have come across." Louisa couldn't help but come back, "But you're only 32, aren't you?" She was catty and suspicious to the max. I had no resort but to walk away, as I had to take at least 6 weeks off until I could get medical clearance to practice again. I could only hope my career wouldn't be over by then.

As I walked down to the car I began to reflect on all the things I had learned, the knowledge I had gained in working in Cornwall these last few months. First, things were never ever ever as they seemed. Each case needed to be explored thoroughly before determining what was truly going on. Secondly, the obvious villain was not always the villain as the stoic, inhibited Martin seemed to be. With further exploration it was obvious that he was trapped in a milieu where he could not succeed. The man was the object of all failures, which was not true in this case. I hoped he could find his way out.

Tony had packed up my personal belongings from the cottage I had rented, which wasn't much. I rejoined him on the Platte, more than ready to leave. "Rach," he said. "I love you as best I can, and anything that has happened in the past...is just the past...let's look to our future..I would like that." "Tony," I answered. "Let's get driving. My work here is done."


End file.
